Karaoke
by Elizabeth White
Summary: Definition: a form of interactive entertainment in which amateur singers sing along with a music video using a microphone and public address system. Helga may take the public part to a whole new level . . . Helga


Standard disclaimers apply

* * *

The old PS118 gang was at the Rhonda's house, pumped to hear, and possibly laugh at, each other's singing on this karaoke night. The room was indeed impressive, with an extensive array of food; little sandwiches, a purple grape-flavored punch, chips, dip, even shrimp! Yet the most impressive was the karaoke stand:

There were a total of three microphone stands, a karaoke screen, and a small stage where the three microphones were set upon. As the high school kids were celebrating the after-party of their junior prom, Arnold was bored out of his mind as his date talked his ear off. _Great, I __**finally**__ get Lila to be my date after all these years, and she turns out to be __**boring! **_Arnold's mind went, like it had a mind of its' own, to that Valentine's Day he'd spent with the fake Cecile. _She'd actually been interesting . . . I can't believe I wasted all these seven years mooning over a girl that I don't even love._ Upon this realization, Arnold abruptly stood up from against the wall, and then kindly told Lila:

"Look, Lila. I think you're a really great person . . . "

"But you are ever so bored, aren't you?" Arnold slowly nodded, impressed she'd seen through his façade so fast, "Look, Arnold. I only agreed to go out to the prom with you so that, at least I hoped, you would be able to see how incompatible we are. You don't need a sweet girl that is just as idealistic as you. You need girls grounded in reality, yet still are able to make your blood boil with anger once in a while. 'Cause let's face it Arnold; sometimes you're _too_ happy and optimistic. You need to be frustrated once in a while to see what's right in front of you." Arnold's expression went from serious, pensive, to finally confused.

"Lila . . . you do realize you just described," Arnold gulped nervously, "Helga? Don't you?" Lila smirked; she had him right where she wanted him.

"What if I did? Don't you have a crush on her?" Arnold turned pale in fear; that was the truth, sort of, but he'd told no one, not even Gerald! Arnold was painfully aware how much his best friend hates his secret crush, possibly love.

"W-w-what if I did?" Lila giggled, enjoying how uncomfortable he was getting.

"Then I'd say that you're talking to the wrong girl. Don't you think you should talk to Helga?" Arnold paled even more, if that was possible. Arnold was about to respond when Rhonda spoke into the microphone, saying:

"All right, everyone. Time for the _real_ party; its' time for karaoke!" Helga sniffed in obvious disgust. "Well, well . . . looks like our first volunteer is Helga G. Pataki!" Giving Rhonda one of her most vicious glares, Helga said:

"Oh no, Princess; you're _not_ making me go up there!" This perked Arnold's interest; what was Helga hiding?

"Why not, Helga; what do you have to lose?" Arnold asked in a concerned voice. Their conversation got everyone's attention. It was no secret that, for whatever reason, Arnold and Helga's fights were always interesting. They had been at each other's throats since the dawn of time, it seemed.

"Because . . . ummm . . . I'm not a good singer?" Arnold rolled his eyes; once again, Helga was hiding something.

"Actually, Helga; I've heard you sing before. You're quite good, considering you have never had any formal lessons." Phoebe said in her usual, timid manner. Helga face-palmed at how _naïve_ Phoebe could be at times; she knew if she sang a love song, she was cooked! There'd be no 'heat of the moment' excuse to walk away from the situation if _that _happened.

"Well, Helga; looks like you're the first singer." Stinky and Gerald grabbed Helga by each arm and pulled her onto the stage. Once Helga was cornered on the little mini-stage, she scowled, and then said:

"Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you." Rhonda, hoping to embarrass Helga, chose a love song by a new, upcoming artist; Demi Lavato called _What to Do_.

_**Great**_**, thought Helga, **_**this is one of my favorite songs . . . joy.**_

_Tell me what to do-oo about you_

_I already know,_

_ I can see in your eyes_

_ when you're tell 'em the truth._

_**Wow**_**, thought Arnold, **_**she really is good.**_

_ Cause it's been a_

_ long time coming_

_ So where you runin' to?_

_ Tell me what to do-oo about you._

_ You've got your way_

_ of speaking._

_ Even the air_

_ you're breathing._

_ You could be anything_

_ But you don't know what to believe in._

_ You got the world before you_

_ If I could only show you_

_ That you don't know_

_ what to do._

_ Tell me what to do-oo about you_

_ Something on your mind_

_ baby all of the time_

_ You could bring down a roo-oom_

_ Ooh, yeah_

_ This day has been a_

_ long time coming_

_ I say it's nothing ne-eeew_

_ So tell me what to do-oo about you_

_ You've got your way_

_ of speaking._

_ Even the air_

_ you're breathing._

_ You could be anything_

_ But you don't know what to believe in._

_ You got the world before you_

_ If I could only show you_

_ That you don't know_

_ what to do._

_ You think about it_

_ Can you ever change?_

_ Finish what you've started_

_ Make me wanna stay;_

_ tied up conversation_

_ show me something real_

_ find out what your part is_

_ Play it how you fee-eel_

_ Tell me what to do-oo about you_

_ Is there any way,_

_ anything I can say,_

_ won't break us in two_

_ Cause it's been a long time coming_

_ I can't stop lovin' you, yeah_

Everyone noticed how Helga tried to subtly not glance at Arnold, yet utterly failed. She was almost staring right at him.

_Tell me what to do-oo about you_

_ You've got your way_

_ of speaking._

_ Even the air_

_ you're breathing_

_ You could be anything_

_ But you don't know what to believe in_

_ You got the world before you_

_ If I could only show you_

_That you don't know_

_ what to do-oooooo._

_ You could be anything_

_ But you don't know what to believe in._

_ World before you_

_ Show you_

_ That you don't know what to do-oooooooo, yeaaaaah._

You could have cut the tension with a butter knife. Rhonda and Phoebe, knowing the situation was about to get ugly for poor Helga, physically dragged the teary-eyed girl off the stage. Once she was off the stage, Rhonda handed her over to Phoebe to deal with the, unintentional, type of embarrassment Rhonda had done to Helga. Before she left, Rhonda whispered to the still shell-shocked Helga,

"I'm sorry, Helga." This snapped her out of it; she gruffly pulled her arm out of Phoebe's hand and ran out of the room.

"Helga! Wait!" Arnold stood up, chasing her out of the room. Arnold poured on the speed, knowing he had to catch Helga; and catch her, he did; crying in an almost invisible corner.

"What's wrong? Helga?"

"_**Everything! **_Everything is wrong, Football-head."The last part came out as a quiet murmur, surprising Arnold.

"Is it really that bad that people know you love me?" Helga stood up so fast, glaring at Arnold's face with an expression of pure hatred. Exclaiming so loud that everyone in the karaoke room could hear her:

"Yes it is! Why do you think I didn't tell _you_ in the first place! Harold and all the _chuckleheads_ in there laughed at me! How do you think I felt as a three year old to be laughed at just because I loved _you?_" Arnold's eyes went wide; he remembered that incident. He'd given Helga his crackers for snack since Harold had stolen them. Then, although he didn't see what had happened to make them tease her, all of the other kids started laughing at her. That had been the first time everyone saw her act so mean . . . wait a minute! Did she say what he thought she'd said?

"Why had the kids started teasing you?" Arnold asked, needing to know. You could have heard a pin drop, as everyone was straining their ears to hear the conversation. Helga stiffened, not willing to answer, "_Helga . . _."

"Harold started it; he laughed at me because I loved you. The other kids just followed along." If you could have heard a pin dropped before, you'd have heard a feather drop after this statement.

"Helga; what do you feel for me now?" She sighed sadly, saying:

"What does it matter? You'd never love me . . . Ummmph!" Arnold started kissing her soundly on the mouth, pulling her toward him as he did. Not that it was hard; Helga was gripping him like a vise around the neck. Arnold licked her lips as they kissed, obviously begging her for access. She gladly allowed him, their tongues exploring each other's mouths.

"Hey guys, I just wanted to check if you were okay . . . WOA!" Gerald came around the corner, upon a sight he thought he'd never see: Arnold willingly kissing Helga. It looked like they were lost in their own world, because Arnold didn't even turn around to see what the noise was. "Arnold, What Are You _Doing_?" Leaving the kiss, Arnold sighed audibly, before turning to Gerald, saying:

"Look, I've been in love with Helga for a _long time._ So if you'd kindly let me make-out with my girlfriend?" Helga became giddy, nearly swooning at Arnold's defense of her. Gerald backed off, knowing that if Arnold didn't get his way, he may go all marital arts on him.

"Fine, man. But we're talking later." Satisfied, Arnold turned to Helga with a goofy smile plastered to his face.

Gerald wasn't too thrilled. He gave off a fiery presence once he entered the room. Gerald immediately turned to Phoebe, asking her to repeat her question:

"Gerald, I said: are Helga and Arnold okay?" Gerald, exasperated with the situation, stated angrily:

"Oh they're more than alright . . . they're making out!" This news made everyone in the gang start tittering in gossip. Why would Arnold kiss Helga? More importantly, why would Helga let him? Suddenly, all conversation stopped as Arnold and Helga came into the room, both with dazed, lovesick looks in their eyes. The teasing began with Harold:

"Hey look, its' the Loooooovebirds. Hahahahaha!" Helga, seeing everyone taunting her, tried to make a break for it, when Arnold's loud, angry voice cut in:

"So what if she loves me!" Everyone clamed up, not use to the angry Arnold. "Because of _our_ incessant teasing of her, she's always hidden her true self! Harold, do us all a favor and **Just Leave Her ALONE**!" At that, everyone instantly felt guilty. They'd unintentionally hurt one of their closest friends. Harold, the first to recover from the guilt trip, walked over to Helga, head down.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Helga." Helga smiled genuinely, causing many of the guys to inwardly swoon at her beauty when she smiled.

"Its' fine, Harold. After all," Here, to everyone's astonishment, Helga winked, "I finally got the prize." While saying this, she grabbed Arnold's hand, pulling him along to a dark part of the room. No one had to guess what they were doing . . .


End file.
